Council Elections

2025 ND Soybean Farmer Leaders Needed

The ND Soybean Council’s 2025 Election Process will begin December 2024, for the following counties:

  • District 1: Richland County
  • District 5: Barnes County 
  • District 7: Grand Forks & Traill Counties
  • District 9: Eddy, Foster & Wells Counties

ND Soybean Council 12 District Map

Learn more about serving on the ND Soybean Council by watching this video:

How do the Elections Work?

The process is conducted by mail ballot. Soybean farmers who reside in counties that will have an election in 2025 will receive instructions regarding NDSC’s election process via mail in December 2024. Look for the green envelope in the mail. Returned nomination forms must be postmarked or hand delivered to county extension agent in January 2025 for consideration.

 

Official election ballots will then be mailed in February 2025 and must be postmarked or hand delivered to county extension agent in March 2025. Look for the blue envelope. The ND Soybean Council’s election process is managed by NDSU Extension to ensure fair and secure elections. All NDSC county representatives and board members are elected by their peers—North Dakota soybean farmers

 

Soybean producers residing in these counties are encouraged to nominate a fellow producer or consider nominating themselves to run for County Representative. For districts comprised of only one county, the soybean producer elected in the county is also elected to fill a seat on the NDSC Board of Directors. If there is more than one county in the district, a soybean producer is elected in each county to serve as the NDSC County Representative. Those newly elected County Representatives then attend a meeting held by NDSU Extension and one is elected to serve as the director on the NDSC board.

Roles & Responsibilities of NDSC Board of Directors

Elected County Representatives move on to a District election, where a District Representative is elected to serve on the NDSC Board of Directors. Responsibilities for NDSC board members include, but are not limited to:

  • Attend four required board and committee meetings a year that are held in Fargo
  • Attend the annual Northern Corn and Soybean Expo
  • If appointed by the board to represent NDSC on outside boards or committees, attending all scheduled meetings at the NDSC’s expense
  • Attend or participate in educational and leadership opportunities sponsored by the NDSC
  • Represent the ND soybean producers in your District at NDSC events
  • Liaison with NDSC County Representatives if your District is larger than a single county

Roles of NDSC County Representatives

For those producers elected to serve as a County Representative to NDSC, there are many opportunities to serve that do not require a large investment of time or travel. County Representatives serve as a liaison to NDSC Board of Directors on issues or needs at the county-level where checkoff programs and resources can be implemented to help soybean producers in that county succeed.

County Representatives are encouraged and invited to:

  • Attend a County Representatives orientation session to learn about the work of the NDSC
  • Communicate producer concerns regarding the soybean industry to the NDSC Board of Directors
  • Promote and communicate the work of the ND soybean checkoff to producers in their counties
  • Provide input to NDSC Board of Directors establishing the NDSC’s research priorities for the year
  • Attend NDSC sponsored events and producer education meetings as able, including Northern Corn and Soybean Expo

If you have questions regarding the election process, please feel to contact NDSC Executive Director Stephanie Sinner at (701) 566-9300  or by email at ssinner@ndsoybean.org